A customer Returned item, I refunded but case wont close

[perryswoodcraft]

I sent an item, and customer opened a return almost moments after tracking said she received it. 
She claimed item was not as described, as it was 'Way smaller than in picture' 
She clearly didnt read the description which gives the measurements - Didnt make any contact with me either 

She went by a photo (Like you can tell the size of something by a photo) 
Anyway, because it was an item not as described case, the return postage was charged to my account (£3.11) 

I received the item, before taking out of the packaging, I measured it, took photos, and added these photos to the return notes. Proving that the item was exactly as described. 
My suspicion was that she wanted it in time for Christmas but had ordered it WAY too late ! 
Anyway, I refunded her less £2, as I was able to deduct a percentage of the total amount to recoup the initial postage cost for us to send it to her (Our items are free post so we cover the postage) 

So refund complete, eBay spoken to and have promised to refund the £3.11 return post due to my proof and my seller protection. 
Should be case closed, but despite all possible action taken, it is still open and the status says 'Awaiting customer to confirm refund' 
(I wont hold my breath for this from eBay to be honest, as I was told I would get an email to confirm, but didnt) 

She doesnt need to confirm it surely, my paypal says the refund is complete, she has the refund, surely that should be it?

Any ideas how to close this case please? 

[john1297576 · Accepted solution]

Buyer can still escalate to ebay, you are not allowed to make deductions, Free Postage makes not a scrap of difference, the buyer is entitled to a FULL refund.

Case cannot close as you have not completed the case, and of course you will not get the selling fee refunded,so for the sake of £2, you are still paying the fee.

Ebay CS will tell you what you want to hear, but I doubt that you will get a penny  of the return postage back.

[perryswoodcraft · Accepted solution]

Thanks although it was EBAY Customer service that told me to partially refund her!
The option is there, surely it wouldn’t give me that option if I wasn’t able to do it and customer is not entitled to a full refund if she makes a false claim !
And also I have been refunded the final selling fee by eBay. Just waiting for the return post refund.

[vijorey · Accepted solution]

The option to part refund is for buyers who want a part refund and keep the item, not for deducting postage costs

[perryswoodcraft · Accepted solution]

The option to part refund was available AFTER the return had been confirmed and tracking showed I had received the item back so not sure if you have the right info there as I am only doing what EBAY allows me to do !
Again. I was on the phone to customer service While I was doing the refund and it was them that guided me through it and actually told me to refund 50%! I only deducted £2 and this was all with eBays blessing so I am not sure why the negative responses as if I have done something wrong!
I think I provided enough of a back story to explain that the customer was a FRAUD and made a false claim against me!
No matter I shall ring eBay and have them close the case. Thank you all for your informative responses

[*guinevere* · Accepted solution]

None of that matters. Ebay quite often don't know what they're talking about.

The point is you are a business therefore by law you have to accept refunds for any reason and give a full refund on receipt.

[vijorey · Accepted solution]

Surely that should be it? ...not necessarily your buyer could be on her way to Trading Standards....

[perryswoodcraft · Accepted solution]

Vijorey I hope you don’t have the misfortune of having to deal with dishonest customers that lie to get what they want.
Nice piece of work you are.
She has zero grounds for trading standards so well done you for turning a simple question by an honest seller into an opportunity to put your troll hat on and berate the person who is asking a simple question.
Sad really but hey ho, it’s a forum and I should have expected that trolls would be lurking, ready to attack with their ill informed nonsense

[*guinevere* · Accepted solution]

Unless I'm missing something I don't see what the issue is here.

You are a business seller and by law business sellers have to accept returns for any reason. That includes "It isn't as big as I hoped it would be" or "I wanted it for Christmas but it came too late".

You are bound by the Distance Selling Regulations and you have to accept returns for any reason.

What don't you understand about this?

[vijorey · Accepted solution]

@perryswoodcraft

I have another account (business one) so I have “ been there &, done that”....you asked a simple question, you received a simple answer, that the case won’t close because you failed to give full refund...and I was just commenting that your buyer could and I repeat could report you to Trading Standards because you failed to give a full refund, not berating at all, just passing on what some sellers have experienced over the years....

[rusticrye]

Ebay CS talk absolute rubbish sometimes, they really do. And some will say anything just to get you off the phone!

The case won't close because you haven't refunded the buyer in full. When the buyer escalates the case to Ebay, which they can do after 8 full days, they will be refunded in full, and you will get a damaging defect slapped on your account for failing to refund in full voluntarily, and as you effectively agreed to do when registering your account.

You have to refund a buyer in full, regardless of the reason for return. It's the law. And as you're a business seller, you have to accept returns for any reason.

If a buyer falsely claims NAD in order to force you to pay the return costs, Ebay can't help you - they have no idea what you actually sent or what the buyer actually received as they weren't present, so they have to ensure the buyer is refunded in full, one way or another, as per their Money Back Guarantee. They can't get involved in arguments, as only a judge can decide if a buyer is a liar or scammer.  All you can do, once you've refunded the buyer in full, is to report them to Ebay, via the 'report' link on your 'leave feedback' page, for abusing the MBG. A few of those from different sellers, and their account will soon be toast.

Your only recourse is to send the buyer a PayPal invoice, with a deadline to pay by or you'll be reporting them to Action Fraud and taking legal action to recover your money plus all court and other costs. If no payment is received by the deadline, send them a before action letter by Signed For post, with a deadline and, again, telling them what will happen if they don't pay by that date. And if they still don't pay (unlikely, as this is usually enough to put the fear of god onto small-time scammers), take 'em to Small Claims court if you wish. Easy to do, and the process can be started online.

@perryswoodcraft 

[vijorey]

No, your items are not free post....it means that the cost of postage is included.

she is entitled to full amount that she paid....so it means that the refund is not complete and certainly'not it', especially if she contacts eBay who are more than likely to refund the full amount at your expense and you will have a damaging defect slapped on your account too.

[plpmr]

adding to john1297576  good advice -

As you are a registered business seller you have to refund all the buyer paid you by law.

[captaincumberpatch]

So although eBay encourage us to do "free postage" this is the downside